the sauce that could knock your socks off (baked manicotti with meat sauce)

Very Instagrammy of me-Stuffed Manicotti & Garlic Bread

I never shared my favorite meal from....last year.  I don't know why I never posted it because my friends, it very well deserves to be shared.  Stuffed Manicotti.  A labor of love, a small shortcut, that rich wonderful filling and the sauce.  Oh. My.  The sauce in itself is phenomenal.  Flavored with pepperoni it sure would make my Papa very proud-and that folks is saying something.  If you get anything out of this post-I hope it is the sauce.  Trust me on this one.  Oh the garlic bread was great too!  I'll post that later.

Getting my manicotties in a row

Baked Manicotti with Meat Sauce
serves 6-8

Meat Sauce
1 onion, chopped
6 ounces sliced deli pepperoni
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
salt & pepper

Manicotti
3 cups ricotta cheese (store-bought or homemade)
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped basil
16 no-boil lasagna noodles

1. Grind Meat:  Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Pulse onion and pepperoni in a food processor until coarsely ground.  Add beef and pulse until thoroughly combined.
2. Make Sauce:  Transfer beef mixture to large saucepan and cook over medium heat, breaking up mixture with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, transfer 1 cup beef mixture to paper towel-lined plate and reserve.  Add tomato paste, garlic, and pepper flakes to pot with remaining meat mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in tomatoes and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sauce can be refrigerated in an air tight container up to 3 days.
3. Prepare Filling:  Combine ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, 1 cup provolone, egg, salt, pepper, basil, and reserved meat mixture in a large bowl.  Pour 2 quarts boiling water into 13-9 inch baking dish.  Soak noodles until pliable, about 5 minutes.  Drain noodles on kitchen towel.  Pour off water and dry baking dish.
4. Assemble Dish: Spread half of the sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.  Top each soaked noodle with 1/4 cup cheese mixture, roll, arrange seam side down, over sauce in baking dish.  Spread remaining sauce over the manicotti.  Cover with foil and bake until bubbling around edges, about 40 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and provolone.  Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes.  Serve.

source:  Cook's Country:  issue unknown